A petition seeking the disqualification of two elected Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha members on the ground that they are teachers of government-aided schools was filed before the office of the election authority of the hill body on Friday.
Irrespective of the outcome of the petition, the move is expected to bring more clarity on who can be an elected representative to the GTA.
Colonel (retired) Keshab Rai told this newspaper that he has approached the Jalpaiguri divisional commissioner, who was the election authority of the recently conducted GTA polls, seeking the disqualification of deputy chief executive Sanchabir Subba and Sabha member Pramoskar Blone.
“Section 9 (1)(d) of the GTA Act states that ‘a person shall not be qualified for being elected to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Sabha if he is in the service of the central or the state government or a gram panchayat or a panchayat samiti or a zilla parishad or a municipality’. The two GTA members are teachers and therefore employees of the state government,” said Rai, adding that Subba and Blone were drawing salaries from the state exchequer.
Subba, who was elected from the Gidabling-Nimbong constituency in Kalimpong, is an assistant teacher at Barbot Higher Secondary School. He is a member of the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM).
Blone, elected from the Ghoom-Jorebunglow constituency in Darjeeling, is an assistant teacher with Ghoom Boys’ Higher Secondary School. He is associated with the Hamro Party. Ajoy Edwards, the Hamro Party president, however, recently said Blone was set to join the BGPM.
The results of the GTA elections were declared on June 29. Although the GTA Act states that petitions challenging the results should be filed within 30 days of the announcement, Rai has said that his petition should be considered as the delay was due to the process of obtaining details officially.
The issue of whether teachers in schools that receive government grants can contest elections has often been debated but this is the first time the GTA, formed in 2011, is faced with the question.
“In 2015, the West Bengal State Election Commission issued an order stating that teachers are not eligible to contest municipality elections,” said Rai.
The army veteran said he had sought details of three more elected GTA Sabha members who were also teachers. “Once I get the information I shall proceed accordingly.”
Rai said his sole objective was to distance politicians from education. “The standard of education should not be hampered because of teachers’ involvement in politics.”
Many political observers believe that irrespective of the outcome of Rai’s petition, his petition could shed more light on GTA election rules. “There are still many grey areas regarding the powers, functions and the ways to conduct business with regard to the GTA,” an observer said.